1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of the play NOT THE FILM of Real Women Have Curves. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
The play takes place in a tiny sewing factory in East Los Angeles, California. It is present-day. It is also early August, during a particularly hot summer. The play occurs during the course of a week (Monday - Friday). Although there is no main character, the play centers around five women. Ana is a young woman who is working at the factory before she goes off to college. To begin the play, the "forward-thinking" Ana has trouble understanding the traditional values of the four women she works with. She does not (nor does she try to) understand why the others think the way they do. Likewise, the other women (particularly Pancha and Carmen) are also staunch in each of their stances. There are also a couple dramatic situations in the play. The first situation focuses on whether or not the women will get the order done on time. The livelihood's of all the women are tied to this order, and this tension is felt throughout the play. The other dramatic situation centers around Estela, who is the only one out of the women who hasn't attained permanent residence.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken in the play and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
The intrusion in this play is when Ana takes off her clothes. Not only does this begin the physical stripping of clothes, but it also begins the emotional stripping of each girl's feelings and emotions. This is also the moment when the ladies begin to see and accept each other for who they are.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
The unique factor in this play is that Estela and the other women are facing a deadline to finish the dresses. If they don't finish them, all their jobs are gone, the company will be gone, and Estela may be deported.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The first and most obvious question is whether or not the women will meet the deadline. In order for them to have any future with this business, they need to meet this deadline. Another dramatic question asked in this play is whether or not "la migra" will find Estela and deport her. This not only puts her life at stake but the livelihoods of the others as well.
5. Use Ana, the central character, to answer the questions. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is, the dramatic actions that are taken by that character. Examine what Ana wants (NOTE: In Real Women Ana's wants seem to be in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles.
At the beginning of the play, Ana is indifferent towards the other women in the group. She does not (nor does she try to ) understand the views of the older, more traditional women who she workswith. The play begins with Ana trying to fight society (past and present) and the ways in which it views women. Throughout the course of the play, however, Ana's views and struggles begin to change. First, Ana battles with herself during the entire course of the play. This is portrayed every time she goes to the bathroom and writes. During the early start of the play, it also becomes easy to see who the main source of frustration is for her: Carmen, her mother. Carmen wants her daughters to become the "best" versions of themselves. Trouble is, Ana does not accept those same views. It becomes apparent the gaps in generations between the two women, and this constant battle continues throughout a long part of the play. However, the more time she spends with the women, the more she begins to understand their views. After the intrusion occurs, we begin to see the women strip their emotions to the bone, and this includes Ana. Ana finally proclaims to her mother how much she loves her body. The rest of the women follow suit, and the character (along with the audience) begin to see how the women truly feel.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Real Women Have Curves.
There are many, many theatrical moments that occur during "Real Women have Curves". A theatrical moment that occurs early in the play is when the sewing machine blows up in the first scene of act one. Another theatrical moment in the play is when Ana describes to Estella how she irons the dresses. For the first time, Estela begins to see things through Ana's eyes. Another theatrical moment is the shouting match between Estela and Pancha and the subsequent fainting of Rosali. This scary scene puts everything in perspective for the women. And, of course, the scene with Ana and the other women stripping is the theatrical scene of the play.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Real Women. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
An important image in this play is Ana interacting with the dress when she explains how to iron with Estela. During this scene, she describes seeing herself in the dress and then coming back to reality. This image shows how wants to see herself. Another image in the play is the broken sewing machine. You can almost feel Estela's anguish when visualizing the broken machine. With it goes Estela's hopes and dreams. The last big image in the play is the cake, which is for Estela's 35th birthday. However, the number 53 is mistakenly put on it. Although it would be easy to write a detail like that off, it seems that Josefina Lopez, the playwright, may have been on to something. In this image, age is just a number. Most importantly, they are all women who love themselves for who they are. No matter how old or young, the women have come to love and appreciate who they are.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Real Women.
There are several themes that take place in "Real Women Have Curves". The main two are love and acceptance. Each woman in the play has their own set of unique problems, but the one constant is their love for each other. Another theme explored in the play is family. In their own way, each woman explores what it means to have and be a part of a family. Family also has different meanings for each woman. For instance, Pancha sees family as a positive and something she has always wanted. However, Carmen sees family as more of a burden and more work to do. Although each woman sees family in different ways, they rely on the family they have formed with each other.
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Real Women? Is family redefined in this play? If so, how and why?
Family is one of the central themes of "Real Women Have Curves". In this play, the word is very complex, and it means different things for every woman. Some want to form their own (Rosali, Pancha, Estela) while others would rather leave their own (Ana and Carmen). As The intrusion hits, however, we begin to see the true feelings of each woman and how they feel about family. This release, in turn, makes the women even closer. They are their own family.
The play takes place in a tiny sewing factory in East Los Angeles, California. It is present-day. It is also early August, during a particularly hot summer. The play occurs during the course of a week (Monday - Friday). Although there is no main character, the play centers around five women. Ana is a young woman who is working at the factory before she goes off to college. To begin the play, the "forward-thinking" Ana has trouble understanding the traditional values of the four women she works with. She does not (nor does she try to) understand why the others think the way they do. Likewise, the other women (particularly Pancha and Carmen) are also staunch in each of their stances. There are also a couple dramatic situations in the play. The first situation focuses on whether or not the women will get the order done on time. The livelihood's of all the women are tied to this order, and this tension is felt throughout the play. The other dramatic situation centers around Estela, who is the only one out of the women who hasn't attained permanent residence.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken in the play and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
The intrusion in this play is when Ana takes off her clothes. Not only does this begin the physical stripping of clothes, but it also begins the emotional stripping of each girl's feelings and emotions. This is also the moment when the ladies begin to see and accept each other for who they are.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
The unique factor in this play is that Estela and the other women are facing a deadline to finish the dresses. If they don't finish them, all their jobs are gone, the company will be gone, and Estela may be deported.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The first and most obvious question is whether or not the women will meet the deadline. In order for them to have any future with this business, they need to meet this deadline. Another dramatic question asked in this play is whether or not "la migra" will find Estela and deport her. This not only puts her life at stake but the livelihoods of the others as well.
5. Use Ana, the central character, to answer the questions. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is, the dramatic actions that are taken by that character. Examine what Ana wants (NOTE: In Real Women Ana's wants seem to be in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles.
At the beginning of the play, Ana is indifferent towards the other women in the group. She does not (nor does she try to ) understand the views of the older, more traditional women who she works with. The play begins with Ana trying to fight society (past and present) and the ways in which it views women. Throughout the course of the play, however, Ana's views and struggles begin to change. First, Ana battles with herself during the entire course of the play. This is portrayed every time she goes to the bathroom and writes. During the early start of the play, it also becomes easy to see who the main source of frustration is for her: Carmen, her mother. Carmen wants her daughters to become the "best" versions of themselves. Trouble is, Ana does not accept those same views. It becomes apparent the gaps in generations between the two women, and this constant battle continues throughout a long part of the play. However, the more time she spends with the women, the more she begins to understand their views. After the intrusion occurs, we begin to see the women strip their emotions to the bone, and this includes Ana. Ana finally proclaims to her mother how much she loves her body. The rest of the women follow suit, and the character (along with the audience) begin to see how the women truly feel.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Real Women Have Curves.
There are many, many theatrical moments that occur during "Real Women have Curves". A theatrical moment that occurs early in the play is when the sewing machine blows up in the first scene of act one. Another theatrical moment in the play is when Ana describes to Estella how she irons the dresses. For the first time, Estela begins to see things through Ana's eyes. Another theatrical moment is the shouting match between Estela and Pancha and the subsequent fainting of Rosali. This scary scene puts everything in perspective for the women.
And, of course, the scene with Ana and the other women stripping is the theatrical scene of the play.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Real Women. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
An important image in this play is Ana interacting with the dress when she explains how to iron with Estela. During this scene, she describes seeing herself in the dress and then coming back to reality. This image shows how wants to see herself. Another image in the play is the broken sewing machine. You can almost feel Estela's anguish when visualizing the broken machine. With it goes Estela's hopes and dreams. The last big image in the play is the cake, which is for Estela's 35th birthday. However, the number 53 is mistakenly put on it. Although it would be easy to write a detail like that off, it seems that Josefina Lopez, the playwright, may have been on to something. In this image, age is just a number. Most importantly, they are all women who love themselves for who they are. No matter how old or young, the women have come to love and appreciate who they are.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Real Women.
There are several themes that take place in "Real Women Have Curves". The main two are love and acceptance. Each woman in the play has their own set of unique problems, but the one constant is their love for each other. Another theme explored in the play is family. In their own way, each woman explores what it means to have and be a part of a family. Family also has different meanings for each woman. For instance, Pancha sees family as a positive and something she has always wanted. However, Carmen sees family as more of a burden and more work to do. Although each woman sees family in different ways, they rely on the family they have formed with each other.
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Real Women? Is family redefined in this play? If so, how and why?
Family is one of the central themes of "Real Women Have Curves". In this play, the word is very complex, and it means different things for every woman. Some want to form their own (Rosali, Pancha, Estela) while others would rather leave their own (Ana and Carmen). As The intrusion hits, however, we begin to see the true feelings of each woman and how they feel about family. This release, in turn, makes the women even closer. They are their own family.